Fluid distributing means for wire drawing machines



Sept 4, 1934 E. J. MclLvRlED Er AL FLUID DISTRIBUTING MEANS FOR WIRE DRAWING MACHINES original Filed July 2s, 1930 Patented Sept'. 4, 1934 UNITED STATES FLUID DISTRIBUTING MEANS FOR WIRE DRAWING MACHINES Edwin J. Mcyllvried, Akron, and Jesse C. Bittman, Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio, assignors to The Vaughn Machinery Company, Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio, a

corporation of Ohio Original application July 26, 1930, Serial No.

470,892. Divided and this application September 11, 1931, Serial No. 562,328

6 Claims.

This invention relates to apparatus for working material in strand or strip form, and more particularly, our invention relates to a novel form of wire drawing machine.

This application is filed as a division of our copending original application Serial No. 470,892, filed July 26, 1930.

As its principal object, our invention aims to provide improved wire drawing apparatus embodying novel means for supplying compound to the dies and to the drawing capstans.

Another object of our invention is to provide improved apparatus of the kind mentioned wherein the retaining means for the dies is provided with means for supplying compound to the dies.

Still another object of this invention is to provide apparatus of the kind referred to embodying novel valve means for selectively supplying compound to the strand working means.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying sheet of drawing, in which Figure 1 is a partial plan view of wire drawing apparatus embodying our invention.-

Fig. 2 is a sectional elevation taken through the die supporting shelf, substantially on line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional elevation taken on line 3 3 of Fig. 2. l

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view, on an enlarged scale, taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 2; and

Fig. 5 is a transverse sectional elevation taken 35 im une 5 5 Gf Fig. 2. l

In the drawing, to which detailed reference will now be made, We have shown our invention embodied in wire drawing apparatus which is suitable for high speed operation. It should be understood, however, that our invention may also be used in connection with various kinds of machinery for the drawing or Working of material supplied thereto in strand or strip form.

In the apparatus which we have illustrated, we have shown strand working machinery 10, to which material to be worked is supplied in strand or strip form, and from which the strand of worked material is delivered to suitable spooling means (not shown). The strand Working means housed within the casing 12', embodies a series of suitable dies 13, shown in this instance as being cylindrical in shape, which are supported upon the die bracket or shelf 14, and through which the strand is drawn by means 55 of the rotatable drawing capstans 15 and 16.

On the side of the die bracket opposite that on which the drawing capstans 15 and 16 are arranged, we provide an idler capstan 17 having a plurality of flanged and independently rotatable idler sheaves 18 around which the strand 60 passes. 'I'he drawing capstans 15 and 16 are arranged in axial alignment with each other, and by suitable driving means (not shown) are adapted to be rotated in the same direction but at different speeds. 'I'he drawing capstans are 65 of well known construction, being made up of step-like arrangements of annular drums of different diameters. As is well understood in this art, the varying drum diameters of `these capstans, and the provision for different speeds of rotation thereof, take care of the increase in the length of the strand, which results from its passage through the dies.

For removably mounting the dies 13 in the die bracket 14 We provide the latter with suitably 75 proportioned recesses 19, which communicate with, and are located at the bottom of the guide slots 20 formed between the pairs of guide fingers 21. To retain the dies within their re spective recesses so as to prevent accidental removal thereof during the operation of the machine, we provide a hollow retaining plunger 22 adjacent each die. These plungers are reciprocably mounted in recesses provided in the die bracket adjacent the recessesl provided for the dies, the plunger recesses being arranged so that the axes thereof intersect the axes of the die recesses at approximately right angles. For retaining the plungers in their respective re cesses so that they may have limited reciprocable movement, We employ suitable stops, such as the screws 23 which are mounted in the die bracket and extend into the slots 24 formed in the plungers. Compression springs 25 normally press the plungers outwardly axially of .their recesses so that they extend partly across the exposed faces of the dies, or in other Words sothat they project into the path of disengaging. movement of the dies. When a die is to be inserted into its recess, or removed therefrom, the corresponding plunger 22 is pressed downwardly into its recess against the action of the spring 25, so as to permit movement of the die axially of its recess. To facilitate insertion and removal of the dies from their recesses, and also to pro- 105 vide additional clearance for the strand being worked, we prefer to construct the plungers 22 so that their exposed end surfaces are concave, as indicatedv in Figs. 2 and 5 of thedrawing. The radii of curvature for these concavepor-f tions are preferably substantially the same as the radii of curvature of the outer surfaces of the dies.

In wire drawing machinery as heretofore constructed, it has been common to provide a ro tating die for finishing the strand being worked. It has been customary, however, to mount this finishing die independently of the die bracket which supports the working dies. In our strand. working apparatus as herein illustrated, we mount the rotatable finishing die 26 at the outer end of the die bracket 14, and extend the shaft. 27 which actuates this die, through the die bracket. As clearly shown in Figs. 2 and 3 of the drawing, the die 26 is secured in the hollow gear member 28 for rotation therewith. This gear member has a hub portion 29 which extends through, and is rotatable in, the bearing member 30 which is mounted in the die bracket. Rotary movement is imparted to the gear member' by a worm 31 keyed to the actuating shaft 27. The shaft 27 may be driven by any suitable means, such as the electric motor 32, and upon. rotation of this shaft the worm 31 imparts rotation to the gear member 28 and to the die 26 carried thereby.

During the procedure of preparing the wire drawing machine for operation the dies 13 are strung upon a strand of material in proper order, and in mounting thesedies in their recesses, the operator inserts the strand into the. guide slots 20. In the case of the rotatable die 26, it will be noted that the gear member 28 is provided with a slot 33, which, upon ro tation of the gear member, comes into registration with the aligned slots 34 and 35 of the bearing member 30 and of the die bracket 14. When the die 26 is to be mounted in the gear/ member 28, the strand is first inserted through the aligned slots, after which the die is moved axially into the member 28. To enable the operator to adjust the position of the gear member 28 so as to bring its slot into alignment with the slots 34 and 35, we provide the handle extension 36 on the shaft 27. By rotation of this handle the slots are brought into registration so as to enable the operator to thread the strand therethrough.

As is well understood in this art, slippage occurs, during the operation of wire drawing ma-n chinery, between the strand and the drawing capstans, and it is customary to use a fluid which is commonly called a compound; and which acts as a lubricant and cooling medium for the Working of the strand. This compound is supplied to the dies and drawing capstans by directing it in streams against these parts. Ac-- cording to our invention the die bracket 14 is constructed with a chamber 37 therein to which compound is supplied through the passage 38. From the chamber 37 some of the compound is supplied to the recesses of the hollow retaining plungers 22 through the passages 39. For supplying the compound to the dies 13 from the plunger recesses we provide each of the hollow plungers 22 with an inclined delivery passage 40 which directs a stream of compound against its respective die. Compound may be supplied to the rotaryvfinishing die 26 from the chamber 37 by means of a suitably shaped and arranged nozzle 41.

For supplying compound to the drawing capstans 15 and 16, we provide the die bracket with a row of nozzles 42 which are spaced to correspond with the spacing of the annular surfaces of the capstans. These nozzles are mounted on the side of the die bracket which is nearest the drawing capstans, and are arranged to direct streams of compound against the capstan surfaces. We control the supply of -compound to the nozzles 42 by means of the elongated tubular valve member 43 which is rotatably mounted in the die bracket. This valve member is provided with a series of openings 44 lthrough its wall which are spaced to correspond with the spacing of the nozzles 42. Some of the fluid supplied to the chamber of the die bracket passes into the valve member through the open inner end thereof by way of the passage 45, and when the openings are in register with the passages of the nozzles 42, streams of fluid are directed against the capstan surfaces. By grasping the handle portion 46, the valve member can be rotated by the operator to move the openings of this member into, or out of, register with the passages of the nozzles.

As the machine is being prepared for operation, the vstrand to be worked is strung around the idler and drawing capstans by the operator. During this procedure the operator reaches into the casing 12 and, beginning with the small diameter drums of the capstan 15, arranges the strand around the capstan drums in succession, thus working outwardly away from the rear wall of the casing. While the strand is being arranged by the operator, the drawing capstans 15 and 16 are being rotated and to prevent burning of the strand which has already been wrapped around some of the drums, it is necessary to supply compound thereto. However, if compound is supplied to all of the drums as soon as it is required by any one of the drums, or, in other words, if compound is supplied to all of the drums as soon as the strand has been wrapped around the rst drum, then the streams of compound will interfere with the Stringing of the strand around the other drums because the operator must reach through the paths of such streams. Ihe Vinterference of the streams of compound with the stringing operation not only results in a slowing up of the work, but the temperature of the compound is lsometimes sufficiently high as to make the Stringing operation very uncomfortable and disagreeable. Therefore, in order that compound may be supplied to the capstan drums which have already been strung, or to the capstan drums which are just being strung, without supplying compound to the outer drums not yet reached by the operator.

we form the openings of the rotatable valve member 43 to extend for different angular distances around the circumference of the valve member so that a step-by-step rotation of this member increases or decreases the number of valve openings in register with the openings of the nozzles 42. The inner end group of openings of the Valve member are made in the form of the slots 47 which extend around the Valve member for approximately three-fourths of its circumference. The openings 48 of a second group of openings, extend around the valve member for approximately one-half of its circumference, and for this angular distance are coextensive with the slots 47. The remaining openings 49 constituting a third group, are circular and align with the end portions of the slots 47 and 48. It will be seen from the arrangement of the openings described that when the valve member is in the position indicated in Fig. 2, all of the openings will be in register with the openings of the nozzles 42, and consequently all of the nozzles will be delivering compound. Upon rotation of the handle portion 46 in a clockwise direction for approximately onequarter of a revolution, all of the openings are closed by being moved out of engagement with the nozzle openings. Rotation of the valve in the same direction for approximately another quarter of a revolution brings the slots 47 into registration with their nozzle openings. Further rotation of the valve member in the same direction for approximately another quarter of a revolution brings the slots 48 into registration with their nozzle openings while the slots 47 remain in register with their nozzle openings. Continued rotation of the valve in the same direction brings the group of circular openings into register at the same time that the slots 48 and 47 are in register. Thus as the Stringing operation progresses the operator rotates the valve member step by step to selectively supply compound to the drawing capstans.

While we have illustrated and described the apparatus of our invention in a detailed manner, it should be understood, however, that We do not intend to limit ourselves to the precise details and arrangements of parts shown and described, but regard our invention as including such changes and modifications as do not involve a departure from the spirit of the invention and the scope of `the appended claims.

Having thus described our invention, we claim:

1. In apparatusv of the character described, the combination of a support having recesses therein, a dieremovably mounted in one of said recesses, and a retaining member mounted in another of' said recesses and adapted to be moved into the path of disengaging movement of said die, said retaining member having a passage for directing fluid toward said die.

2. In apparatus of the character described the combination of a plurality of strand engaging parts, a plurality of nozzles for delivering fluid to said parts, means for selectively controlling the flow of uid through said nozzles, the last mentioned means comprising a member having passages therein leading to said nozzles, and a single Avalve element mounted in said member and movable relative thereto for controlling all of said passages.

3. In apparatus of the character described the combination of a plurality of strand engag ing parts, a plurality of nozzles for delivering uid to said parts, means for selectively controlling the flow of fluid through said nozzles, the last mentioned means comprising a member having a valve chamber therein and a plurality of passages leading to said nozzles from said chamber, and a valve element movable in said chamber for selectively controlling said passages.

4. In apparatus of the character described the combination of a plurality of strand engaging parts, a plurality of nozzles for delivering iiuid to said parts, means for selectively controlling the flow of fluid through said nozzles, the last mentioned means comprising a member having a valve chamber therein and a plurality of passages leading to said nozzles from said chamber, and a valve element movable in said chamber, said valve element having ports of progressively vvarying size adapted to be successively brought into communication with said passages by movement of the valve element in said chamber.

5. In apparatus of the character described the combination of a plurality of strand engaging parts, a plurality of nozzles for delivering fluid to said parts, means for selectively controlling the ilow of uid through said nozzles, the last mentioned means comprising a member having a valve chamber therein and a plurality of passages leading to said nozzles from said chamber, a hollow valve element movable in said chamber for selectively controlling said passages, said element having a series of ports extending through the wall thereof, said ports being of 11 progressively varying elongation in the direction of movement of the valve element and arranged to be successively brought into registration with said passages, and means for supplying uid to the interior of said valve element.

6. In apparatus of the character described, the combination of a rotatable drawing capstan having a plurality of strand engaging surfaces, a member extending adjacent said capstan Yand having a series of nozzles for directing iluid 120 toward the respective surfaces of said capstan, and movable valve means on said member forselectively controlling the supply of fluid to said nozzles.

EDWIN J. MCILVRIED. JESSE C. BITTMAN. 

